The album I am listening to most right now is Carrie & Lowell (2015) by Sufjan Stevens.
Sufjan Stevens might be my favorite musical artist, along with the Beatles, and his new album is beautiful.
Another amazing new album is To Pimp A Butterfly (2015) by Kendrick Lamar.
It is an extremely creative and perfectly executed hip hop album.
I also have to mention the song "Hardware" from Schoolhouse Rock. It is incredible.
YouTube video.
My Own Music
In the future I will link to my own music here.
Information About the Rating System
Rating System:
10 - Perfect
9.5 - Almost Perfect
9.0 - Great
8.5 - Really Good
8.0 - Good
7.5 - Decent
7.0 - Above Average But Lacking
6.5 - A Bit Above Mediocre
6.0 - Very Mediocre
5.0 - A Bit Below Mediocre
4.0 - Bad
3.0 - I Would Avoid Listening To It
2.0 - So Bad It Might Be Interesting To Hear
1.0 - Some Of The Worst Music Ever Made
0.0 - If You Had A Two Year Old Daughter, Put Her At The Piano, And Recorded What She Played, It Would Be Better Than This
Note: I tend to round up.
Random Album Review 2: Wings At the Speed of Sound (1976)
Originally posted on my music blog on November 17, 2013.
I have a very large number of albums in my music collection, many that I have never really listened to. In order to plumb the depths of my musical library, I am going to have iTunes give me a random album, which I will listen to and review (poorly).
This is the second.
Paul McCartney & Wings - Wings At the Speed of Sound (1976)
Let 'em In
A classic McCartney tune, and worthy of that title. Solid groove and nice variations. Catchy. 8/10
The Note You Never Wrote
Weird lyrics. Great instrumentation and a sweet guitar solo. 9/10
She's My Baby
Not too crazy about the lyrics. It has an interesting peppy rhythm. Simple. 5/10
Beware My Love
Driving rhythm, reminds me of disco a little bit? I feel like I'm expecting something more original... that seems unfair. It seems my copy also cuts off almost a minute too short. 6/10
Wino Junko
Nice groove. I love the guitar tone in the solo. 8/10
Silly Love Songs
I need to admit, I've heard this song a million times on the radio and such and it has become one of my least favorite McCartney songs. It is a nice song, though. The horns and multiple vocal lines are really well done. 8/10
Cook of the House
Weird song... a sort of boogie woogie tune about cooking. 5/10
Time to Hide
Nice vocals and melody. I really like the guitar solo and the organ. 8/10
Must Do Something About It
Really good lyrics, melody, chord changes, and instrumentation. 8/10
San Ferry Anne
Yes, this is great. I love this song. Warm vocals, wonderful lyrics, great rhythm. Did the Decemberists ever hear this? 10/10
Warm and Beautiful
This song is warm and beautiful. I like the piano, and the instrumental parts are great. 10/10
Overall:
This is a wonderful album. 'Let 'em In' and 'Silly Love Songs' are super famous, and 'The Note You Never Wrote,' 'San Ferry Anne,' and 'Warm and Beautiful' are definitely getting added to my favorite songs playlist.
Average: 7.72/10 Good
Random Album Review 1: Metal Museum Volume 3, Folk Metal (2006)
Originally posted on my music blog on May 10, 2012.
I have a very large number of albums in my music collection, many that I have never really listened to. In order to plumb the depths of my musical library, I am going to have iTunes give me a random album, which I will listen to and review (poorly).
This is the first.
Various Artists - Metal Museum Volume 3: Folk Metal (2006)
Ensiferum - Token of Time
Extremely solid folk metal song. The music and vocals are very well done. 8/10
Finntroll - Trollhammaren
Great groove, a little negatively repetitive and rough in the transitions. 6/10
Nerthus - Meadow-Lands Slumber
I really like the introduction. It has a very black-metal sound which I quite like. The vocals are a tad ridiculous. The breakdown in the middle is great on its own but didn't flow as well as I would have liked from the previous part. 6/10
Korplikaani - Pine Woods
Beautiful beginning. No vocals. Nice change halfway through. Love the main groove. 9/10
Dark Reality - Ants Under Glass
Not really my favorite style of metal. Kind of an industrial/repetitive feel with deep raspy growling. The folky breakdowns are awesome, though. 6/10
Lumsk - Perpålsa
Not sure what those characters should be in the title. The vocals are very deep and a bit humorous. I don't really like the extreme vocal effects used near the end. Decent. 6/10
Turisas - Sahti-Waari
Very solid, good groove, good melody, good vocals. 8/10
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter - Reitermaniacs
The vocals are very raspy. The music is very good at times, repetitive at other times. A bit cheesy. 5/10
Shaman - Sugadit
It sounds like they are just using synth effects, which detracts from the song. Repetitive. Lovely transition, then it gets really good. Then it gets okay again. Then it gets really good again. 7/10
In Extremo - Spielmanns Wiederkehr
Weird vocals that are close to speaking and raspy. The folk aspects sound good at times, but nothing really special with this. 6/10
Heidevolk - Het Geldersch Volkslied
Lovely intro. Yet again, weird singing. Nothing special in the rest. 6/10
XIV Dark Centuries - Teutonentanz
More of the same. Metal with a dark feel, growling vocals, and very light folk aspects, if any. 6/10
Tuatha De Danann - Behold The Horned King
Nice intro, melding it with metal, and awesome vocals. Great tune. 8/10
Overall:
Some songs were outstanding, and others sounded too much like each other.
Average: 6.7/10 Above Average But Lacking
This is Where I Rank the Best Albums of Each Year: 2010
Originally posted on my music blog on October 9, 2011.
Please refer to the rating system link at the top. Albums with the same rating are loosely ordered based on my feelings about them, but they can be interchanged.
Albums:
Sufjan Stevens - Age of Adz 10 Electronic/Indie/Pop/Folk/Rock
Sufjan Stevens - All Delighted People EP 9.8 Indie/Pop/Folk
Benjamin Koppel & Kenny Werner 9.0 Jazz
Surfer Blood - Astro Coast 8.8 Indie Rock
Rick Wakeman - Always With You 8.5 Piano
Steve & Francesca Homan 8.5 Jazz
Charles Thomas - The Colors of a Dream 8.5 Jazz
Sievert - Chips, Dips and Facerips 8.2 Chiptune
Grails - Black Tar Prophecies, Vol IV 8.0 Post Rock
Various Artists - Acoustic Rainbow Vol. 36 7.7 Country/Pop/Rock/Folk
Singles / Other:
I'll listen to these and properly rate them soon:
Albums I haven't listened to but are probably quite good:
The Great Bob Dylan Rating Collection
Originally posted on my music blog on March 30, 2011.
Here I will attempt to go through every Bob Dylan album and rate everything. Sorry about the ridiculously high ratings for most of his songs, I just like his music that much. It still evens out overall.
Bob Dylan - 1962 - Overall: 9.27
You're No Good - 8.5
Talkin' New York - 9.7
In My Time of Dyin' - 9.5
Man of Constant Sorrow - 9.4
Fixin' to Die - 9.2
Pretty Peggy-O - 9.0
Highway 51 - 9.0
Gospel Plow - 8.9
Baby, Let Me Follow You Down - 9.6
House of the Risin' Sun - 9.5
Freight Train Blues - 9.1
Song to Woody - 9.9
See That My Grave is Kept Clean - 9.2
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - 1963 - Overall: 9.29
Blowin' in the Wind - 10
Girl from the North Country - 9.8
Masters of War - 9.7
Down the Highway - 9.2
Bob Dylan's Blues - 8.5
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall - 9.8
Bob Dylan's Dream - 10
Oxford Town - 8.9
Talking World War III Blues - 9.2
Corrina, Corrina - 9.0
Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance - 8.4
I Shall Be Free - 9.0
The Times They Are A-Changin' - 1964 - Overall: 9.37
The Times They Are A-Changin' - 9.8
Ballad of Hollis Brown - 9.5
With God on Our Side - 10
One Too Many Mornings - 9.0
North Country Blues - 9.1
Only a Pawn in Their Game - 8.0
Boots of Spanish Leather - 9.6
When the Ship Comes In - 9.7
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll - 10
Restless Farewell - 9.0
Another Side of Bob Dylan - 1964 - Overall: 9.37
All I Really Want to Do - 9.6
Black Crow Blues - 8.0
Spanish Harlem Incident - 9.6
Chimes of Freedom - 9.0
I Shall Be Free No. 10 - 8.9
To Ramona - 9.5
Motorpsycho Nitemare - 9.5
My Back Pages - 9.8
I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) - 9.8
Ballad in Plain D - 9.4
It Ain't Me Babe - 10
Bringing It All Back Home - 1965 - Overall: 9.66
Subterranean Homesick Blues - 9.9
She Belongs to Me - 9.9
Maggie's Farm - 9.8
Love Minus Zero/No Limit - 9.6
Outlaw Blues - 9.0
On the Road Again - 9.2
Bob Dylan's 115th Dream - 9.4
Mr. Tambourine Man - 9.8
Gates of Eden - 9.8
It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) - 10
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue - 9.9
Highway 61 Revisited - 1965 - Overall: 9.88
Like a Rolling Stone - 10
Tombstone Blues - 10
It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry - 9.8
From a Buick 6 - 9.6
Ballad of a Thin Man - 10
Queen Jane Approximately - 9.8
Highway 61 Revisited - 9.9
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues - 9.8
Desolation Row - 10
Blonde on Blonde - 1966 - Overall: 9.67
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - 9.6
Pledging My Time - 9.1
Visions of Johanna - 9.7
One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) - 9.7
I Want You - 9.9
Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again - 10
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat - 9.7
Just Like a Woman - 9.7
Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine - 9.5
Temporary Like Achilles - 9.8
Absolutely Sweet Marie - 9.6
4th Time Around - 9.5
Obviously 5 Believers - 9.6
Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands - 10
John Wesley Harding - 1967 - Overall:
John Wesley Harding -
As I Went Out One Morning -
I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine -
All Along the Watchtower -
The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest -
Drifter's Escape -
Dear Landlord -
I Am a Lonesome Hobo -
I Pity the Poor Immigrant -
The Wicked Messenger -
Down Along the Cove -
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight -
This is Where I Rank the Best Albums of Each Year: 2009
Originally posted on my music blog on October 29, 2010.
Please refer to the rating system link at the top. Albums with the same rating are loosely ordered based on my feelings about them, but they can be interchanged.
Albums:
The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love 9.8 Indie Rock
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest 9.6 Psychedelic Indie Pop Rock
Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue with the Stars 9.6 Atmospheric Black Metal
Tyr - By The Light Of The Northern Star 9.5 Viking Metal
Mastodon - Crack the Skye 9.5 Progressive Metal
I Come to Shanghai - I Come to Shanghai 9.4 Rock
Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs 9.3 Post Punk/Shoegaze/Black Metal
Isis - Wavering Radiant 9.3 Atmospheric Sludge Metal
Flight of the Conchords - I Told You I Was Freaky 9.3 Comedy Music
George Harrison - Let it Roll 9.3 Pop/Rock
Hockey - Mind Chaos 9.2 Indie Rock mixed with Alternative Dance
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion 9.2 Psychedelic Pop
David Bazan - Curse Your Branches 9.2 Singer/Songwriter Indie Rock
Om - God is Good 9.2 Doom Metal
Port Royal - Dying in Time 9.2 Electronic/Ambient
Secret Chiefs 3 - Traditionalists: Le Mani Destre Recise Degli Ultimi Uomini 9.1 Experimental/Film Score
Modest Mouse - No One's First and You're Next 9.1 Indie Rock
Between the Buried and Me - The Great Misdirect 9.1 Progressive Metal
Sun O))) - Monoliths & Dimensions 9.1 Drone Doom Metal
Sufjan Stevens - Run Rabbit Run 9.1 "Classical"
Rick Wakeman - The Six Wives of Henry VIII Live at Hampton Court Palace 9.1 Progressive Rock
Sufjan Stevens - The BQE 9.0 Modern Classical
The Lonely Island - Incredibad 9.0 Comedy Music
Chthonic - Mirror of Retribution 9.0 Melodic Black Metal
Pelican - Ephemeral 9.0 Post Metal
Muse - The Resistance 8.9 Alternative Rock
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures 8.9 Hard Rock
Crepusculum - Sing on in Silhouettes 8.9 Instrumental Guitar
Benjamin Koppel & Bobby Watson - At Ease 8.9 Jazz
Pelican - What We All Come to Need 8.9 Post Metal
Iron and Wine - Around the Well 8.9 Contemporary Folk
Various Artists - Kind of Bloop: Chiptune Tribute to Miles Davis 8.9 Chiptune
glomag - DaMaGe 8.9 Chiptune
Bob Dylan - Christmas in the Heart 8.8 Holiday
Korpiklaani - Karkelo 8.8 Folk Metal
Mew - No More Stories Are Told Today, I'm Sorry, They Washed Away 8.8 Progressive Indie Pop Rock
The Mars Volta - Octahedron 8.6 Progressive Rock
Iron and Wine - Norfolk 8.6 Contemporary Folk
Eluviete - Evocation I - The Arcane Dominion 8.6 Celtic Contemporary Folk
Mattson 2 - Introducing the Mattson 2 8.6 Jazz/Rock
The Mermen - In God We Trust 8.5 Surf Rock
Jon Lajoie - You Want Some of This? 8.5 Comedy Music
Nile - Those Whom the Gods Detest 8.5 Technical Death Metal
Ensiferum - From Afar 8.5 Folk Metal
Arkona - Goi, Rode, Goi!!! 8.4 Folk Metal
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There are Mountains 8.4 Indie Rock
Blueneck - The Fallen Host 8.4 Post Rock
Ari Pulkkinen - Trine OST8.3 Video Game Soundtrack
Starscream - Future, and it Doesn't Work 8.3 Chiptune
Mr. Spastic - Claps and Leads 8.3 Chiptune
Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know 8.3 Heavy Metal
Portugal. The Man - The Satanic Satanist 8.2 Indie Rock
AleStorm - Black Sails At Midnight 8.2 Pirate Folk Metal
Cornbeast - Chip Hero 8.2 Chiptune
Do Make Say Think - The Other Truths 8.2 Post Rock
Coova & Bud Melvin - She's the DJ, He's the Rapper 8.2 Chiptune
Copernicus - Disappearance 8.2 Avant-Garde
Pavaka - The Melodies of Sri Chinmoy Vol. 2 8.2 World/Rock
IAYD - Supergalactic 8.1 Chiptune
glomag - Roland & The Lamprey 8.1 Chiptune
NESessity - The Heartbits 8.0 Chiptune
Tomas Dvorak - Machinarium Soundtrack 8.0 Video Game Soundtrack
They Might Be Giants - Here Comes Science 8.0 Children's Rock/Pop
Coldplay - LeftRightLeftRightLeft 8.0 Pop/Rock
From Monument To Masses - On Little Known Frequencies 7.9 Post Rock
minusbaby - left 7.9 Chiptune
Saskrotch - I'll Have You Naked by the End of This ROM 7.9 Chiptune
Dysrhythmia - Psychic Maps 7.8 Math Rock
8GB - Pravda 7.7 Chiptune
RABBIT - List of Secrets 7.7 Rock
Sundried Truth - Underdog 7.5 Rock
Cannibal Corpse - Evisceration Plague 7.5 Death Metal
